Texas Democrats have turned out in full force for the primaries.Early voting numbers show about twice as many Democrats have already cast a ballot compared to the number that came out in 2014 during the previous non-presidential cycle.Ed Espinoza from Progress Texas talks about Democratic voter turnout this 2018 Texas Primary Election.

Honoring African American leaders of the Texas Legislature — progressive champions who fight for Texans year in and year out. Watch as they stand up for voting rights, LGBTQ equality, healthcare, and against racism and white supremacy this past legislative session. #BlackHistoryMonth

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus says he will not seek re-election. What will that mean for the Texas Legislature? As Straus blocked some of the more bigoted agenda items of the Republican party including the transphobic 'bathroom bill.'

Texas lawmakers - led by State Representative Helen Giddings (D- DeSoto) – denounced racism and terrorism in Charlottesville and called on Texas A&M University to block a white supremacist rally planned for September 11.

Texas anti-abortion politicians passed a bill banning all insurance plans in Texas from covering abortion, forcing women to buy separate, more expensive, coverage or to pay out of pocket. But not without a fight lead by progressive women lawmakers.

In a public hearing, State Sen. Charles Perry put the blame on Black women for Texas' maternal mortality crisis. Black women in Texas face the greatest risk of dying after childbirth — a rate nearly three times higher than that of white women.

State lawmakers came back to the Capitol yesterday to take up Gov. Greg Abbott's twisted special session agenda. On the agenda - attacking the rights and lives of Texans. Again. So let's dive into what makes this session especially messed up.

Even the Faith & Freedom Coalition is tired of hearing Ted's voice. Watch Ted get played off in the middle of his speech (20-second mark).Even the Faith & Freedom Coalition is tired of hearing Ted's voice. Watch Ted get played off in the middle of his speech (20-second mark).

Progressives from around the state and our champions in the legislature fought hard this session. From immigrant and voting rights to LGBTQ equality and reproductive freedom - we will continue to resist attacks on our fundamental rights.

On the last day of our regular legislative session, amidst a peaceful protest to resist racist “show me your papers” SB 4, Tea Party Republican Matt Rinaldi of Irving told a group of Latino lawmakers he called ICE to deport the protestors. And it didn’t stop there. Rinaldi — who barely hung onto his seat in 2016 — also threatened to “put a bullet in one of his colleague’s heads.”

State Rep. Jarvis Johnson laid out the history of racially discriminatory, voter suppression laws in opposing Republican's newest voter ID bill, Senate Bill 5. "'The poll tax was not about race,' so they said. 'The literacy test was not about race,' so they said. 'The grandfather clause was not about race,' so they said."

Texas Rep. Donna Howard stood up for women's reproductive freedom and delivered a sincerely moving speech against a cruel bill that would force 'fetal burial' and effectively ban abortion after 13 weeks. "We can sit here self-righteously and decide that we always know best for every person. But we do not."

Watch Rep. Senfronia Thompson call out the Texas GOP's discriminatory bill for what it is: a separate but equal bathroom bill targeting vulnerable transgender kids."Bathrooms divided us and they divide us now...separate but equal is not equal at all."

This session, Republicans in the Texas Legislature filed A TON of anti-abortion bills — 39 to be exact. That’s more restrictions they want to pile on top of the mountain of barriers already on the books.

As part of a larger effort to insert religious refusal provisions into uncontroversial, state agency review bills, Republicans in the Texas House passed an amendment that would allow for discrimination against LGBTQ Texans seeking legal assistance.

Texas Senate Republicans passed a bill that would license for-profit, immigrant family detention centers as child care facilities. Democrats railed against Senate Bill 1018, which would allow lower standards in order to license these "baby jails." The bill was written by GEO Group, the nation's second largest for-profit prison company.

As Republicans in the Texas House — emboldened by Trump in the White House — passed a racist, anti-immigrant "show me your papers" bill, Senate Bill 4, Democrats stood united to fight this hateful piece of legislation for 16 hours, while activists took over the Capitol throughout the day in resistance.

With 2018 in front of them, Democrats are trying to create a message that will win them seats in Congress and later the keys to the White House. Here to discuss what is left to do in the next 18 months is GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak and Glenn Smith from Progress Texas.

As far as significant days go, this isn't one to celebrate. This is the day in 2017 when women finally catch up to making as much as men did in 2016. If the gap continues to close at its current glacial pace, women won't have equal pay until 2152.

Watch 5 clips of brave testimony against the anti-immigration, Senate Bill 4, from the Senate hearing. Despite overwhelming opposition, Texas Republicans in the Senate passed the bill on to the House. Now we wait for a Texas House to take up the bill.

Non-partisan analysts with the congressional budget office have released their report on estimated costs and projected coverage for the GOP's proposed healthcare plan. Our own Glenn Smith weighed in on the issue.

On the first day of debate on the Texas House floor, Rep. Rafael Anchia (D- Dallas) took to the mic to deliver an incredibly powerful speech blasting Texas Republicans’ anti-immigrant agenda. Watch his response to an amendment that would have barred Child Protective Services payments to any caregivers who are undocumented immigrants.

Dozens of educators and government employees went to the capitol this week to voice their opposition to Senate Bill 13, also known as the Union Dues Bill. If passed, it would eliminate some state workers' ability to use payroll deduction for union dues.

Trump's SCOTUS nominee Judge Gorsuch, behind closed doors, said he was "disheartened by attacks on the courts". Trump, of course, said the comment did not refer to his own recent insults of the courts. Progress Texas executive director Ed Espinoza discusses the thickening plot on CNN.

Hot on the heels of his failed jaunt on Dancing with the Stars, former Governor Rick Perry is taking center stage again today. The follow-up to his slapstick Cha-Cha routine: a confirmation hearing to be Trump’s Secretary of Energy, naturally.

Howard Dean, former Vermont governor and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, tweeted during the first presidential debate, "Notice Trump sniffing all the time. Coke user?" Our executive director responded on CNN.

For 40 years, politicians have used the Hyde Amendment to deny coverage for abortion care for those who are struggling to get by. To learn more about the diverse movement to end Hyde visit AllAboveAll.org

This election cycle is getting dumber by the day, with claims questioning Clinton's health and now questioning the motives of the Clinton Foundation. Glenn and Ed defended the Clinton Foundation and drew a contrast with a candidate like Clinton who associates with humanitarians versus a candidate like Trump with close ties to Putin and Russia.

A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked President Obama's directive on bathroom rights for transgender students in public schools. Lucy Stein, the advocacy director of Progress Texas, discusses the injunction

Trump's numbers look bad in the polls. All of them. Our executive director Ed Espinoza gives his take on the recent developments in the presidential race. Will Trump's change in staff help? Probably not. Can he follow through on his promises? Definitely not.

With just a little over 80 days before the presidential election, recent poll numbers show Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump in every battleground state. Our deputy director Phillip Martin discusses.

The state’s health commission is giving $1.6 million of your taxpayer dollars to an anti-abortion group to provide women’s health and family planning services. The catch is — this group provides ZERO health care services...

Our Executive Director joined ABC News in Austin to talk about the presidential race, and how Trump's comments on "punishment for abortion" aren't really any different than the beliefs of Ted Cruz and the state of Texas.

Our Ag Commissioner is at it again: Sid Miller got a "Jesus Shot" using taxpayers' dollars. This isn't Jesus with a gun – it's a controversial drug only available from one guy near Oklahoma City. Good grief.

We filed an official complaint with the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division about a Ted Cruz mailer that appears to violate Texas law. No candidate is above the law, not even Ted Cruz.

As in years past, it was damn near impossible to narrow this list down to just 10. But we managed, and you can be sure that each of the fine folks who made the cut more than earned this dishonorable distinction.

He talks about a Texas miracle, but what really happened on Rick Perry's watch? His financial skills are a Texas-sized disaster. If Rick Perry can't be trusted to manage his state's money, how do you think he's going to manage yours?

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You might be asking yourself, what is Progress Texas Institute and how is it different from Progress Texas.

Progress Texas Insitute is our 501(c)(3) non-profit, which is an IRS tax status that allows donations to be deductible for federal income tax purposes. Work under this status has strict limits on lobbying and political activity. We do our issue education and civic engagement work under this status.

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We split our work between these two organizations depending on the nature of the project.